Tears of Blood
by Rein Petals
Summary: My first short one shot on RK! Kenshin receives another black letter, but when an innocent boy gets in between the mess, he either kills or gets revealed by the public. Which will he choose? Please review and tell me how I did! Hope you like it!


**Tears of Blood**

**Dedicated to Kuroshiki  
**

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock. _

It was late into the pitch, black night, while everyone was sleeping comfortably; except for one teenage boy that is. He ran in different directions, through alleys after alleys trying to find a way into the open.

_Pant. Pant._

Breathing heavily, sweat fell from his chin. No one would come to rescue him. No one. He was on his own and all alone, there was no way he could escape. The moon wasn't even out to help guide him; even nature was against him. **_He was helpless._**

Tripping over a stone, he fell onto his knees. _Crack! _The agonizing pain shot through his leg and up his spine as he howled.

_Shit! My ankle! Oh no! Did I yell?! The-the demon! He might find me!! I have to get up! I have to get up and RUN!! I must live! I can't die here! I CAN'T!! _

He finally rose back onto his feet, continuing to scamper along alley. He was much slower than before, limping like a beaten dog, grasping for the wall's support.

The pain was burning and excruciating, but he couldn't stop running. With every step he took, his ankle popped in and out like a lose pebble. Splattered blood froze all over his body, making him stiff and rock hard. Was it his blood? No, not yet, but soon it would be. Over and over again, he told him self to keep going and to not give up.

_Dear God, save me! If you're there. If you're really there watching for me, then come to my rescue!! Help me, please 'O God!  
_

Slicing the wind, he turned sharply running into another alley.Just a few more steps, then_ SMACK!_ He slammed straight into the wall, knocking his head on a sharp, cement brick. He fell onto his knees once again, trying to hold back his uncontrollable sobs. The brick cracked in two, falling out of its socket and dropping on the stony ground into pieces.

_Now_ it was his blood. Gooey, red slime oozed down his face, puddling in his short, stubby hair. The pain was unbearable. His ankle split from before, now his head?! He couldn't take it anymore, only thinking like a hunted prey. Hunger, fear, and survival.

Dizzy and light headed, he paused and gently placed his face onto the cold floor. _Thump, thump._ He could feel a light tap in his chest.

_What is this feeling? I can feel my heart beat. Yes, yes I'm __still alive. That means I'm meant to live! I am still living! I must live!!_

Regaining his senses, he wobbled to his feet.

_I MUST FIND A WAY OUT! I MUST SURVIVE!! God wants me to live!! Or else I would be dead all ready!  
_

He whipped around, ready to run elsewhere... but it was too late. The Devil appeared. The demon had come to seal his death away, a token for the Death God. He raised his sword and slowly walked towards the target.

"Wait...not yet...I can't die yet! Please! Don't kill me!! I have a family!! I need to take care of them!! Why-why are you even following me?! What do you want with me?!"

The dark silhouette with blazing, fire hair took no notice, as he continued to walk steadily forward.

Helplessly, the boy screamed with all his might as he choked on his tears, "NO!! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!! I-I HAVE A YOUNGER SISTER TO RAISE! MY SICK FATHER NEEDS ME! MY FAMILY!! I CAN'T LEAVE THEM HERE ALONE!! THEY WON'T MAKE IT WITHOUT ME! STOP!! NO! PLEASE DON'T TOUCH ME!"

The demon's emotionless cold, harsh voice spoke over the panicking yells and whimpering cries. "You're wrong, _you_ wont make it...Pray, pray for your family. You were at the wrong place at the wrong time. No one knows of my existence, and no one can know of it. How unlucky, but you must sacrifice your life for the new era that will come. It's all too late...please live happily in the other world."

He looked into the man's deadly, crimson eyes. Time zapped, and everything slowed down. He could see every movement. He could see his killer, the one everyone fears, the shadowed, legendary assassin. He knew that look. That familiar face, those familiar eyes, that familiar scar... _it was him._

_Father...you're right. You were right from the beginning! He **is** the Hitokiri Battousai...but... I THOUGHT HE WAS MY FRIEND!!  
_

A pounding shock echoed through his head, and everything became faint and blurry. The poor boy's life was spinning before him as the blood continued pouring out of his split head.

_Maybe, it's better if I leave; I mean, I suppose it's what God wants, right? And I'll see you there Nee-chan, so don't cry. I think that would be nice. Yes, a nice hot bath. Yes, Nee-chan, you would be there too! Bathing me… and hugging me in heaven. I can even smell you Jin gin. I can smell you…and Father, father tell Jin gin...not to cry..._

His eyes barely reached to see the blood crusted sword being raised above his head.

_Oh, yeah Kenshin. It **is** you, isn't it? Papa warned me about you, but I ignored him. But somewhere, deep down inside of me, I knew Papa was right. Still, I, I had fun playing with you. We… could've played with each other more. I really liked you, you took care of Father and Jin gin-chan too. You were my only friend… my best friend... _

Time rushed back and the tainted soul of the assassin devoured the boy in seconds. Blood and insides splurged out from the youngster and the demon towered over the half dead body, staring down at the boy with blurry eyes.

"K-k-koro?" he cried.

_Drip, drip._ A warm tear landed on the boy's ghostly cheek.

"Kenshin, don't cry... T-thank you for ending my misery," he choked and gasped for air, "I-I'm glad we met…Please… take… care… of…of…" and the boy's whisper trailed off.

"Koro-kun? Is that really you Koro-kun?! Koro-kun?! Koro-kun!! WAKE UP KORO-KUN!! WAKE UP!!"

Suddenly, fierce tears pounded the confused, lost teenager. He smacked the boy's face side to side trying to wake him up, but he would never come back. _Never._

"NO!! KOROOOOOO!!"

No more than a man, the sorrowful child piled his arms on top of the lifeless, crushed body.

"Koro-kun..why?! How did you end up there? How did you end up HERE?! Why are you the one to die?! Why did I kill you?! Why…WHY DID I KILL YOU?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"

Until the sun rose, the boy called the legendary Hitokiri Battousai sat there. Lying and mourning over the cold, dead body... his best friend. Tourtured, hunted, and killed.

...And yet they say demon's don't cry.

* * *

A/N: YAY! BIG YAY! I'm done with it! I finished it in two days, with editing from Kuro-chan! Again, thanks. :D

Dedicated to Kuroshiki; my best friend (who unlike Kenshin, doesn't end up killing their best friend.)

In any case, please REVIEW!

-Reiia


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